Turning Organic Coffee Into a Success Story

Turning Organic Coffee Into a Success Story

My Startup World spoke to Elena Weber, the Founder of ICONS Coffee Couture, who says entrepreneurs need to believe in themselves in order to succeed

How did you arrive on the idea behind ICONS?
My time as a model inspired me to create something guilt-free but joyful! Being a model made me more health and nutrition focused; there is definitely pressure when it comes to looks, what you eat, and how many calories you consume.

The model industry is driven by a very strong image of how you have to look and sadly, this is not always really healthy. But luckily it is changing! ICONS, as a concept, is about feeling good about your body, giving it the nutrition it needs and to shine from inside.

The idea is to introduce healthy alternatives which are delicious and made with Stevia; a natural, zero calorie sweetener.

Please tell us about challenges you faced when planning out ICONS.
I think the first big challenge was when I realized that I’m not really good at baking and especially with Stevia. Hence, I teamed up with Stefan Kopetz, a renowned German Pastry chef, who is associated with Bayern Munich football team, to create a variety of Stevia based desserts and beverages.

Another big challenge was to gain investment for the concept. It took approximately 8 months of planning, several visits to UAE, presentations focusing on the concept, business plan, strategy, and bringing the cupcakes to the table before we could bring the concept to life.

Elena Weber

 

How was the sourcing for the coffee beans done? Did you work with one supplier or did you evaluate suppliers before zeroing in on the right one?
To be honest, it took us quite a while to identify the right roasting partner as we didn’t want to compromise on our values: Organic & Fair trade. In the end we found a very trustworthy roaster in Germany which whom we are working since the inception of the project.

We created a special ICONS coffee and tea blend and are now taking the next step of opening our own roasting facility in Dubai, in cooperation with our German partners.

ICONS

What sort of plans do you have for ICONS for 2014?
We have already signed with some franchisers, while we are in talks with others to open more outlets in the GCC by the end of 2014. Beside that, we have partnered with the World Franchise Association to promote the ICONS Franchise in the GCC region and were pleasantly surprised by the number of requests we received so far.

We have also launched our corporate solutions in five hotels to provide ICONS coffee and menu items to the customers. We are also planning to open our own coffee roasting facility and a bigger centralised kitchen in the near future.

ICONS2

What sort of USP does ICONS have?
ICONS Coffee Couture stands out because the entire assortment served at the coffee shop is absolutely sugar-free! The idea is to provide healthy yet fashionable eating options to the residents of the Emirates.

ICONS3

How do you think ICONS will better serve a coffee connoisseur?
I would say it starts with the ambiance of the coffee shop. The interior is chic and fashionable. Also, our coffee is produced without the use of any chemicals, it’s organic, and German Bio Seal certified. The highlight, at ICONS Coffee Couture is our Kopi Luwak, the World’s most expensive Coffee.

The connoisseur who orders Kopi Luwak is looking for a special experience and that’s what we provide. Kopi Luwak is prepared in front of the customer and served in a coffee ceremony. We have even had guests from Switzerland who have especially come to ICONS to try the Kopi Luwak coffee.

Are you involved in any other ventures apart from ICONS?
No, at the moment I’m focusing completely on the establishment of ICONS.

ICONS 5What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs in this region?
Never forget that everything has started with a thought in someone’s mind! So don’t feel small. The most important is that you believe in yourself and your idea and that you are passionate about it.

That is what will make other people believe in it, too. In the end it is always a team work along the way. Good things can take some time, so don’t give up, be persistent. Everything is possible.

Lost Password